CHAPTER 8:   Ring Boy & Glasses Girl

“You can drop me off here.” Gui said as she reached over her seat to grab her backpack. “We haven’t even got to your school yet, there still quite a bit of distance left. Don’t tell me you don’t want to be seen in public with me, it’s going to hurt my rep.”

Gui laughed. “That’s exactly it, I do not want to be seen with you Aaron Yan.”

“Why not? I guarantee it will boost your rep in return.”

“And have rumours going around about you and I? They are going to spread like crazy ‘oh did you hear? That glasses girl came with the famous Aaron Yan from that really rich school? Have you heard? Did you hear about it? Did you see it? Seriously?! Was he handsome? How can someone as ugly as her be with him? What is there relationship together?’ And to be honest with you, I rather not deal with all that attention. All I want is to go to school without running into trouble.”

Aaron reach over, taking off her glasses which surprised Gui. “I said it once but I will say it again, you... are not ugly Gui. You don’t need to hide yourself.”

“No, hiding myself is what I want. I like the fact that no one judges me based on my family’s title. They don’t know who I am  and that it what I like. I want to be able to talk with everyone not as Wu Ying Jie but as Ying Jie. Simple, Ying Jie Gui. And that’s why you are dropping me off here. The less people, the better.”

Gui took her glasses back and put her frames back on. “Whatever you like.”  

“Before I forget, give me your number.” Gui look over at him puzzled. “Don’t get the wrong idea, just in case anything pops up, I can call you to let you know. Since you look like the type of girl who likes to be on top of things.” Gui smiled as she told him her number before opening her door.

“Drive safely.” As if that was the cue, Aaron put his sunglasses back on and started the engine but he didn’t pressed the gas pedal because someone caught his attention from the rear view mirror.

A man to be precise, a teenage boy.

Who just happen to be approaching Ying Jie. ‘Who is he?’

When Gui notice that he wasn’t driving off, like he was suppose to, she stop and thought why, is he forgetting something? She didn’t know why he wasn’t driving away so she thought she left something back at the car.

Thinking about it, she dug into her pocket to take out a handkerchief, her cell phone and the card someone gave her at the market. Nothing was out of the ordinary, but just when she was about to put it back into her pocket, a boy approached her with all smiles as Gui look up to see the man who bumped into her at the market.

“HI! This might seem random but do you remember me? I bumped into you yesterday and once again, I’m sorry. I was in a rush to catch this guy with my dad’s colleagues that I accidentally bumped into you...”

As the guy went on, Gui saw Aaron drive away. “But when I saw you getting dropped off here, I thought it was you from afar. I didn’t want to scare you so I just kept walking but who knew it was you? When you took out that handkerchief and my card, I knew it right away it was mine. So how are you? We go to the same school right?”

For once in Gui’s life, she has met someone who was more talkative then herself. He was cheerful, a ball of fun, someone who is always smiling and she like that. Gui took a look at his uniform and smiled. “We go to the same school.” She pointed at the uniform and smiled. “Hence the similar uniform.”

“Phew, I thought you wouldn’t remember me. So why were you crying yesterday?”

“WHO WAS CRYING? GUI WHO MADE YOU CRY?! WAS IT AARON?!” Gui and George look over to see Genie appear between them, as she stare at her best friend and a boy she never met, she will just have to introduce herself later.

“WHO IS IT? TELL ME! I WILL BEAT HIM UP.”

“Ohh nothing really, Aaron didn’t do anything. It is just that we went to the market yesterday and there was a police notice saying that there has been several kidnapping incidents happening around that are. I got upset and I unknowingly cried. It’ sooo sad Genie~!”

“OHH~ GOOD! But still, did they catch that guy?”

Genie felt someone tap her on the shoulder so she whip around to see a boy around her age, dressed in the same uniform as theirs. “May I help you?”

“About that kidnapper, we have successfully caught him. So you do not need to worry about it.”

“Who are you?”

“Hello, I am George Hu. You are looking at the next future policemen George Hu.” George introduced himself enthusiastically as Genie turn back to look at Gui who smiled over to Genie. “When did you guys meet?”

“We bumped into each other yesterday when he was chasing after that kidnapper.”

“Ohh! Makes sense!” Genie look back to George as she took her hand out. “Nice to meet you George, I am Genie, Gui’s best friend.” He shook hands with her but then he looked at them skeptically. “Ghost?”

“Funny story for another time.” Genie said as she took a look at the time. “WE ARE GOING TO BE LATE, LET’S GET TO CLASS!”

Genie yelled out as she ran off with Gui. “NICE TO MEET YOU GEORGE, I WILL FORMALLY INTRODUCE MYSELF SOME OTHER TIME!” Gui yelled out to George who nodded and the three of them ran all the way to the gate of their school.

When they reach the gate, they could have sworn some angels were singing in perfect harmony as they passed the big black gates. Once they made past the gate safely, Gui and Genie bent down, trying to regain their breathes as quickly and normally as they could.

“HEY GEORGE!”  George, Gui and Genie look over to see a girl run over to greet him. “Li Quan is looking for you.”

“He is? What for?”

“Something about practice... He wants to go over the game-play and what you think of something... George! You should know how bad I am at these football terms. Just go see him.” The girl said in the sweetest voice as she could. George nodded as he look over to see Genie and Gui waving him off.

“I have to go, I will see you guys later!” George said as Genie and Gui nodded, watching him leave as the girl stayed behind.

That sweet, innocent and pretty smile she showered George instantly washed away as she turn back to look down at the two girls who George came to school with.

“I hope you know your status. George is one of Li Quan’s friends and since Li Quan is the best looking guy and popular in this school, I think you kitty’s can put together this puzzle quite brilliantly. Since you guys know all the calculations and where everything goes in place.”

The girl scoffed as she and her group of possy’s head in the same direction George left them in.

“Oh and if I see or hear you two around either of them again, you will be chanting my name over and over again while in your undergarments. So be extremely careful when you go around making friends, you do not want to make friends in the wrong places kitty’s.”

“And what’s your name? The biggest in the whole–” Gui pulled Genie back as the girl scoffed in disbelief.

Does it make sense? That they don’t know who the hell she was? Everyone at school knows her so does it make sense for these two nerds not to know her? The more she thought about it, the more flabbergasted she got.

“Watch your tongue. I can do things and they are not pretty.”

“O–Okay! We’ll be careful.” Gui whispered as the girl glance over to Gui quickly before looking over to Genie. “I just happen to have a heart of an angel so I will let you guys go. But if you guys mess with me, I won’t be sorry.”

“Angel? In what way? You are just a sl–” Gui covered and silently plead her to stop provoking her.

“My name is Xiao Man, remember it clearly girls. I will be famous soon!”

While they watch her leave, Genie kicked the rock beneath her, frustrated.

“GUI! I could’ve punched her if you didn’t stop me! Geez, someone need to teach that girl some manners. She could’ve politely tell us that, that... Argh, girl!” Genie was beyond furious to the point that she was mentally picturing herself pulling on that girl’s hair. “Someday... Someday I will do it.”

“Do you think Genie...” Gui’s quivering voice stopped Genie for a moment to look at her friend. “She said that he is one of Li Quan’s friends...”

“GUI! S–S–Stop